Over One Thousand More PA. Public School Teachers to get Corbetted this Year
Last edited Thu Mar 8, 2012, 12:42 PM - Edit history (2)
Last year, 14,000 jobs were eliminated in public schools in PA. because of Corbett's budget cuts. Hundreds or thousands more will happen this year.
Philadelphia School District faces a deficit of a couple hundred million, after eliminating several thousand jobs.
Even after a 3% tax increase, and eliminating a couple hundred positions last year, Allentown School District has a $12 million deficit for next year.
Pocono Mtn. School District will have to eliminate 300 jobs to close their deficit, as referenced in the link.
Stroudsburg Area School District is predicting the elimination of 100 teachers and 25 aides.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/08/1072367/-PA-Must-Reads-The-Governor-s-Math-Requires-Fewer-Math-Teachers?via=stream
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120308/NEWS/203080314
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Meanwhile, Pa. tax revenues are up $500 million so far compared to this time last year. The Governor played with the revenue projections to make it appear that revenues are actually lower, by assuming that an unusual percentage of revenue would be received in the first couple months. That allows him to claim there is a crisis, to justify more cuts.
The tax revenues would be much higher, except Corbett gave away several hundred million dollars in PA. corporate tax revenues by instituting a "bonus" depreciation rule on his own. Most sources of state revenue are back close to pre-recession levels, except real estate transfer taxes (because houses aren't selling) and corporate taxes. More at the link.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/07/1072169/-As-Economy-Picks-Up-PA-Revenues-Take-Turn-for-the-Better?via=stream
As noted below, many teacher's unions are doing their part by agreeing to wage freezes, but the costs are still increasing for health insurance and pensions.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/03/midstate_school_districts_agai.html
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Here is a collection of recent articles on this issue:
http://www.pahouse.com/school_funding_2011cuts.asp?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pahouse.com%2Fschool_funding_2011cuts.asp&utm_campaign=Crisis+in+Public+Education
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